Thank You
by eternal-eloquence
Summary: My version of Jesse's encounter with Lukas in Beacontown. Contains slight Lukesse. (F!Jesse)


He'd been in there for three hours now.

Three long, dark, cold hours filled with wall-banging, tear-spilling and sobbing, while a feeling of such anger and despair tortured his mind. The dim redstone torches cast a faint red glow on the walls, which also were constructed of red clay.

Red, red, red. The color was very fitting, in a cruel, unsettling way.

Lukas had never felt so enraged in his life. And it was all because of Jesse, who he'd called his best friend for as long as he could remember. Heck, on the first night of the Witherstorm, she'd given him her cookie, and that was before they became such great friends. And then she'd gone above and beyond, welcoming him into her team when his had stabbed him in the back, backed him up in Sky City, stood up for him in the White Pumpkin's mansion, refused to hurt him when he was chipped by PAMA. She was always there for him.

He should've known it wouldn't last.

He could picture her at the moment, with her heated red eyes that she'd been gifted along with her new Admin abilities. What she was doing to the poor Beacontowners, making them live in fear of her, and sending half of Beacontown's population to live out the rest of their days confined between four walls.

It was beyond Lukas as to how someone could go from being so selfless and friendly to a complete meglomaniac in a matter of days. Guess endless amounts of power does drive you to insanity.

He could still see her, standing at the top of the Order hall's stairs with her hands planted on her hips, as the memory he desperately wanted to forget replayed in his mind, clear as day. He constantly tried to rid his mind of those harsh words that she'd spoken to him just a couple of hours ago, though deep down, he knew he never would forget them.

 _Well, well, well. If it isn't the blonde guy!_

 _A nuisance. That's all you've ever been._

 _I've got no time for losers like you. Can't believe it took me this long to realize it!_

 _If you can't get in line, Blondie, then you can hit the road._

She then clapped her hands and sent him here. To this very hellhole. But he wasn't the first, nor would he be the last. There were other people here too, people that were paying the price for such silly, _stupid_ reasons, like tearing down a statue that Jesse had rebuilt, which had apparently been the case for Nell (who was their newest member). Or for people who refused to let her pet their dogs (for quite a good reason, if he did say so himself), like Stampy and Stacy. And that wasn't even the half of it.

Lukas? He'd made sure his time hadn't gone to waste. After a few minutes of pointless moping of how he'd been betrayed again, he'd acknowledged the others' presence. He even managed to free the other prisoners, and formed a new rebellion against Jesse that he named after his former Ocelots. It was just a matter of escaping. And he promised himself that next time he saw Jesse, he'd put her in her place for treating him the way she did. For treating everyone the way she did.

His heart ached at the thought. Why did things have to change?

Something abruptly snapped Lukas out of his trance. He strained his ears, trying to make sense of the sound. It was getting louder, closer and easier to make out. The continuous noise of shoe soles against the hard stone floor; footsteps. By the sound of it, it didn't sound like there was only one person.

Lukas craned his neck at the source of the sound and immediately gestured for the other Ocelots to get back into their cells. Once everyone was inside, he retreated back into the darkness, still listening intently for the noise.

Suddenly, three figures emerged from the entrance of the large tower they had been imprisoned in. They were each wearing white shirts and red overalls, hats covering their heads and swords out. Member of the Fireworks Crew? What were they doing here? Perhaps Jesse had send them here for setting the fireworks off at the wrong time, or _something._

But something wasn't right. Usually, people who had been imprisoned would teleport here, and they sure as hell weren't armed. But these…they clearly had swords in their hands. He squinted to get a better look.

One had shoulder length red hair, and was gazing around with a sword at the ready. She looked different without her usual blue bandana on. Could it be…. _Petra_! He breathed a sigh of relief; he'd been so worried about her. Despite the urge to run up to her, Lukas remained in his hiding spot. The second figure was a tall man with brown hair, a beard, and an eyepatch, who Lukas recognized as Jack. He looked over at the third figure, who, prominently, had long black hair and was significantly shorter than the other two.

Jesse.

Anger suddenly flared up inside Lukas, and he resisted the temptation to burst out of his hiding spot to go an attack her right at that moment. He clenched his jaw and grinded his teeth in fury.

Jesse gazed around the room, instinctively tightening her grip on her sword. It seemed as though the other Ocelots couldn't control their desires to rip out Jesse's throat, because Nell, who had just been sent in half an hour earlier, stepped out from where she was hiding with a grim expression on her face. She tossed a flint and steel in her hand, throwing it up before catching it again while simultaneously saying, "Well, would you look who it is." Stampy followed her lead, along with Stacy. Nell still kept her gaze fixed on Jesse. "Come out and plaaay!"

Slowly, other Ocelots began to appear from the shadows, each bearing an expression of complete and utter loathing. They soon surrounded Petra, Jack and Jesse, forming a threatening circle around them, while Jesse recoiled and took a few steps back. "Uh, hey guys," she said with forced confidence, "what's…going on?"

Lukas guessed it was his cue to come out. He revealed himself, crossing his arms over his chest and shifting his weight onto one leg. "Stand down, Ocelots."

Upon spotting him, Jesse let out an exclamation of relief. "Lukas!"

 _What is she playing at?_ He brushed it off. She couldn't possibly be happy to see him, not after everything she'd put him through.

"So, looks like the tables have finally turned, huh Jesse?" Lukas deadpanned. "We can't let you keep doing what you're doing." Nell continued to throw the flint and steel, producing an irritating scratching sound. "That's enough, Nell," he added with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

She put away the flint and steel. "Right. Sorry."

"Oh man, I am so happy to see you," said Jesse, lowering her sword and stepping out of her defensive stance. "I can't believe how long it's been."

Lukas narrowed his eyes in distrust. "What are you talking about? We _just_ talked the other day, remember? Your whole speech about how if 'I couldn't get in line I could just hit the road?'"

Jesse's eyes widened for a moment as the Ocelots advanced on her, raising her sword once again in case she needed to defend herself. "Now, hang on everyone—"

"No," was Lukas' immediate response, "It's our turn to talk. Not yours. Not anymore."

An uncomfortable pause.

"I reformed the Ocelots because I wanted to remind everyone of how things were before. And most of all, I wanted to remind _you."_

"But—"

"Because the Jesse _I_ know wouldn't be running around on some power trip, locking people up!"

"Lukas!" Jesse cried in distress as an effort to get him to stop talking. Lukas ignored her.

"So yeah. I set your prisoners free. What are you going to do about it?" he finished.

"Yeah, and telling us our builds were ugly!" piped in another woman.

Jesse, clearly agitated, put down her sword again with impatience written on her face. "It wasn't me that locked you all up! It was the Admin!"

A few scattered gasps could be heard among the group as confusion hung in the air. Lukas' fierce countenance faltered, his expression turning softer – well, less hostile – as Jesse's words clicked in his head. But that couldn't be… "What? No, you said you defeated the Admin—"

Jesse put her sword away while simultaneously approaching him as she spoke. "The Admin locked me in a prison underground—" she inched forward, "—stole my identity—" took another step closer, "—came back here—" again, a stride onward, "—and pretended to be me!" she finished, putting her hands up and waving them to emphasize her point.

It was as if Lukas had been hit with a ton of bricks. "That is…No. How do we know this isn't a trick?"

Jack put his sword away and walked up to Lukas as well. "No trick, friend. And it isn't the first time. My friend Vos? The Admin did the same thing with him."

"Yeah, we saw the whole thing," Petra said, taking a few steps forward towards Lukas and planting her hands on her hips.

"Is this really true?"

They all nodded in unison, and Jesse's expression softened into an apologetic smile. A sincere, apologetic smile. For everything they had to be put through, he presumed.

But Lukas wouldn't be sold that easily. If she was trying to faze him, she would have to do better than that.

"Prove it."

Jesse's smile vanished, and her eyes darted around the room as she stuttered. "H-How?"

"Oh, I don't know. If your little story is true, then you'd find a way."

Jesse remained silent, her gazed fixed on the floor. Lukas took it as a sign of ignorance, and he let out a frustrated sigh. "Exactly." But while his demeanor proved that he was obviously enraged, a small part of him couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't blipped them all out of existence already. If her story really was true…

 _No. She's your enemy, not your friend. Not anymore._

Lukas lost his composure. He unsheathed a sword and advanced on her as she took a few alarmed steps back. "Lukas, please! You don't understand, it really is me!" Jesse shouted, but to no avail. She brought out her sword again as Lukas attacked, using it to block his brutish attempts of trying to stab her to death.

"What do you want from us? Why did you send us here?" Lukas shouted as if he was talking to a complete stranger. He continued to strike, sparks flying off her diamond sword as he delivered more blows with his iron one.

Jesse hesitated for a minute as she saw the remaining Ocelots make their way towards her, exchanging desperate glances with both Petra and Jack as they too unsheathed their swords to defend themselves. "You want to proof that it's me?" She asked. Lukas nodded, but it wasn't in a peaceful manner. He put their duel to a halt. Jesse paused again, and Lukas pursed his lips, eyes hard as he waited for a response.

After a solid ten seconds, Lukas put his sword away and walked away from her, once again crossing his arms and turning so that his back was to her as he grew more and more impatient. "I'm waiting."

He heard her let out a heavy sigh before walking closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and making him turn around to face her. He looked at her with still more distrust, but a felt it evaporate when he saw a glistening streak running down her cheek. Her voice cracked as she said, "Lukas…"

A short pause.

"I just want you to be happy."

Lukas eyes widened at the repetition of his words to her back when they fought off the Admin colossus. It was her… _it was actually her._ And the way he'd spoken to her just now…

 _I just want you to be happy…_ "That's what that little pig wanted for all of us," he whispered, just loud enough so that it was only audible to Jesse, as the memory came back to him. She nodded as he breathed out, "It really is you…"

Jesse wiped the tear from her cheek, quickly enveloping Lukas in a hug which he instantly returned. Suddenly, a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. All the time that he thought he'd been betrayed a second time…none of that was true.

Jesse looked up at him with a smile as they broke apart, while he gazed down at her happily. "Yeah. It's you."

"Well, now that we've got that sorted out…" he added, "What in the world are we gonna do next? Wait, why are you even in here?"

Jesse's expression morphed back into a more serious one as she spoke in a firm tone, "We're trying to get to something called, "the Terminal." We've have a—a word of passage—"

Petra interrupted her, sarcastically coughing, "Potato."

Jesse rolled her eyes and paced around the room, "—which we can apparently use to take away his powers for good."

She had a plan. _She had a plan._ Who was he kidding. Of _course_ she had a plan.

"Yeah, a lot of that was way, over my head, especially the potato…but…I'm in." Lukas walked over to Jesse to pat her on the back. "You just lead the way, and the Ocelots will have your back."

The Ocelots let out a collective cheer as they gathered around her.

Jesse looked up at Lukas again looking to meet his gaze, her green eyes meeting his blue ones.

"Thank you, Lukas."


End file.
